1989 Trophy 170 Budget Build

axlr8

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
Messages
100
Hopefully I can get mine to look that nice someday! Progress has been slow. Work and life are taking priority at the moment.

Still nibbling away at the transom. Kind of thinking that the way I "clamped" it together with screws was not my best choice. It doesnt seem like the plies were 100% clamped when I screwed them together. Not sure what way I am going to go with it. Theres a few edge gaps, but I can add glue to them and re clamp with something other than screws.

As much as I dont want to have to re make another transom, the thought has crossed my mind. I want the boat done right, so I dont have issues later down the road.
 

Pusher

Lieutenant
Joined
Sep 2, 2014
Messages
1,273
Would it matter if there were air bubbles between the ply? The outboard would sandwhich them plenty when bolted on wouldn't it? It would be easy to redo if you had extra though. I've never done one myself so maybe it does make a difference... ? :-/

You might go to harbor freight and get some bar clamps. Then you wouldn't have any holes in your transom from the wood screws.

A word of experience, if you use 5200, which really seems to be great stuff, don't get it on your threads. It'll bind your nuts up and you'll snap the stainless bolts trying to tighten them.
 

axlr8

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
Messages
100
Sadly, I had a few things come up during my winter break and was not able to get much done on the boat at all. What little progress I did make was nothing to really show for. I just got the itch to try painting the inner transom skin for the boat to test the paint, and see how it acted for me. I am using the Majic paints from TSC or Runnings if any of you guys are familiar with those stores. The paint is about 5 bucks a can and I have used it previously with good luck. It really likes a high heat environment to cure in, and I am skeptical of how well it holds up to UV light, but for the price, it cannot be beat. (Please tell me if you dissagree!!!)

here are some pictures of what I accomplished. I am using I.H. Off white by the way.

Hammer and a homemade dolly out of a 2.5" steel shaft courtesy of the scrap bin!


Post sanding picture, I essentially feathered everything very roughly. Just enough to get a good adhesion.


Picture of the primer that I chose.


Post prime picture.


Paint that I used for top coat.


Some mid spray pictures.




And what I ended up with after an overnight cure. At this point it had 8 hours to sit, and was still tender to the touch, I scratched it in a few places, but I fully expected that to happen.




Now that you have seen this, I will confess that I am by no means anything close to a skilled bodywork man or even a finish painter. I have experience doing industrial electrostatic spray, and brushwork in houses, but absolutely no experience with high detail finishes. Id like to learn to do it right before I paint the exterior of the hull on this boat, but I have plenty of time before that to practice. I am all ears to hear new tips and tricks that would help me!
 

jbcurt00

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 25, 2011
Messages
24,829
Might buy quarts of the paint so you can

Roll and tip or

Roll and roll

If you dont have a compressor and spray gun.

And add the enamel hardener, if only to speed up the cure. It does improve scratch resistance as well.

Otherwise, as a transom inner skin, looks good from here in unseasonally warm WV. May break a temp record tomorrow, 70* in mid-Jan :facepalm:
 

axlr8

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
Messages
100
I fully plan to spray the rest of my paint through a gun. I know how that works, and have some experience. I was kind of testing the waters with the spray can to see if it was a nice color in my opinion.

I was hoping to find more of a tan color or something like it, but if I cant find that, this color will work for me. After all, it is a fishing boat! :laugh:
 

ezmobee

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
23,767
The consensus on the forum is that the tractor paint is great. However as has been suggested the hardener really helps it which obviously you can't with spray cans. I painted mine using the roll and roll method. Foam roller, lay the paint down and then lightly roll over it again to knock the bubbles down. I came out gorgeous. Absolutely factory looking as if it'd been sprayed gorgeous. Unfortunately I used Petit Easypoxy paint which turned out to be garbage. I suffered some adhesion problems and it's also fragile and damages easily. Because of this I generally recommend people just stick with Rustoleum or the TSC paint (with the hardener) or step up to a true 2 part marine paint. I'd skip the other middle of the road single part paints.
 

Woodonglass

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
25,924
You might find the second the 3rd link in my signature line helpful;)
I also highly recommend you use SE Primer and THEN a couple of coats of Regular Primer before applying the final Color Coats.:nod:
 

axlr8

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
Messages
100
You might find the second the 3rd link in my signature line helpful;)
I also highly recommend you use SE Primer and THEN a couple of coats of Regular Primer before applying the final Color Coats.:nod:

I read that after I posted last night and about smacked myself. I had read it previously, just did not absorb the material apparently. I am glad to see that you have had success with the Majic paints. I am going to see what I can come up with and maybe get a quart and mix up some to spray. I am concerned with how itll hold up to scratches, but I wont know, until I spray something and have it infront of me.
 

Woodonglass

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
25,924
The hardener makes it SOOOOO much more scratch resistant than the Rattle can stuff. It's almost like car paint and in fact many people HAVE painted their cars with it. Any Paint and Gelcoat will scratch, Some less than others.
 

axlr8

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
Messages
100
Got some free time to play some more with the transom repair tonight. I found some pitting where the old rotten part of the old transom had been sitting... Kindof looking for suggestions on how to stop it from spreading, and also how to possibly fill the pitting and make it flush so there is no way for it to gather water.

I did a brief google search, but that didnt lead to a good answer...

Here are some pictures.







They are not very large in diameter, but some of the pits are pretty deep from what I can see. Im hoping someone has a solution that will be safe:)
 

Watermann

Starmada Splash of the Year 2014
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
13,747
Just about every Starcraft rebuild these transom skin pits are dealt with. After cleaning the pitting with a wire wheel some guys neutralize the corrosion that remains in the pitting with an acid. If the pitting is deep you may want to use a pick to get down in there. Me I just use cleaning vinegar after removing the corrosion. Filling the pitting is a good idea alright, there are a couple 2 part epoxies that are used, Marine Tex and JB weld. I prefer the MT over the JB, especially when it comes time to sanding it smooth.

To finish it up I seal up the transom skin with a good paint job.
 

Frey0357

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 13, 2014
Messages
313
Axlr8,
I had the same pitting, only I think mine was worse than yours as some of them went all the way through the transom!:eek: I went the JB weld route, because it was readily available, and the results were fantastic! I used a putty knife to spread it (dipped in acetone, thanks WOG for that tip) and it went on smooth. Sanded with a disc sander attachment in my drill and was done in minutes (with the sanding part). When I painted over it looks almost perfect!

I did clean the pits prior to JB Weld "smeering" with a quick wire wheel followed up with a splash of vinegar, followed up with water and then allowed a day to dry.

This worked well for me.

Frey
 

Patfromny

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Dec 2, 2012
Messages
1,197
Sound advice above. I would use the vinegar water mix while wire brushing the pitted areas. Vinegar helps to stop or neutralize the corrosion. Let it dry and fill pitting. You should use self etching primer on the bare metal and then clean metal primer on top of that prior to paint. SE primer should just be dusted over the metal. No need to cover to a uniform appearance. The clean metal primer is where you do that. Good luck. The pitting isn't too bad and should clean up nicely.
 

Pusher

Lieutenant
Joined
Sep 2, 2014
Messages
1,273
There are some who will say to never use a steel brush because the steel will react with the aluminum if you leave a bristle behind. I think stainless is okay.... but I can't quite remember.

Simple Green is the stuff you have to stay away from with aluminum.
 

Watermann

Starmada Splash of the Year 2014
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
13,747
Which ever wire wheel you use be sure it's fine and not coarse so it doesn't scratch the AL deeply. As far as using steel vs something else, what do you think they use to roll out the AL sheets? What do you think the pots are made of they smelter the AL in? Steel coming into brief contact with AL is not going to ruin AL and cause it to crumble to dust. Steel becoming oxidized and rusting in contact with AL over years is another story.
 

Pusher

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Sep 2, 2014
Messages
1,273
Yeah, I think the issues arise when a bristle breaks off and lodges at the base of the transom unseen. The guy who mentioned this was a bit OCD but he does nice work so I can't knock him for that.
 

Watermann

Starmada Splash of the Year 2014
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
13,747
Yeah, I think the issues arise when a bristle breaks off and lodges at the base of the transom unseen. The guy who mentioned this was a bit OCD but he does nice work so I can't knock him for that.

Yeah under the ribs is where a dislodged bristle might end up going unnoticed, it's amazing what a shop vac can do though. Those bristles are nothing compared to the mess steel rivet mandrels do laying in the bottom of a boat for 30 - 40 years when the factory doesn't pay attention to detail.

My SS barely had any evidence that these rusted mandrels were there after I cleaned up the rusty mess. Take a look, not a big deal.

http://forums.iboats.com/forum/owne...79-starcraft-18-v5-ss?p=10161640#post10161640
 

Patfromny

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Dec 2, 2012
Messages
1,197
Stainless brushes are available quite easily. And for about the same price. I'd use stainless. Just me though. For the small pitting shown in the pics, stainless, fine bristle and vinegar would be my play.
 

axlr8

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
Messages
100
Got some good work done on the boat this weekend. In addition to what I had mentioned previously, I soaked the new transom in PMS and let it dry, and then applied my second soaking, and then let that set up while removing one of the two consoles and the windshield. I had a pile of scrap 3/4" and 1/2" ply from the transom build, so I took most of the odds and ends wooden parts that I had found so far and used up what scraps I had to make new wooden pieces.

I got the front raised deck blown apart and tore the livewell apart to see how it works..(Really torn on if I should keep it, or turn it into storage for lifejackets/rope/miscellaneous...) and last but not least, I gave the boat a good vaccuum and looked it over with a few silver bullets. I got ansy and stripped one side of its decals about 85% of the way, I ran out of ambition and razor blades.

Having second thoughts about paint vs nautolex for the flooring and top of the gunnels... Im going to do some sampling and see if the nautolex is worth it to me. My primary fishing companion does not think that the paint is what I am looking for as far as flooring. AND it will cover up some of the bumps and bruises that are showing so far in the build.

ANYHOW, this upcoming weekend, I plan to fill the pits with some of the marine JB weld after a good scrub with some vinegar, water, and a nice SS brush.

(As a welder, we are always told to never use carbon steel brushes on aluminum because it can cause impurities in the weld pool and can cause the welds to be faulty, but as far as a boat, I am sure it is a non issue item. But I know that SS brushes are not expensive, so I will jump for one anyways. )


The build is finally getting some momentum and I hope it stays going. As long as I can keep the funds there to pay for it, I can forsee good progress in the coming months.

Actually to free up some money and time for this new endeavor, I gave up one of my longtime favorite winter activities temporarily. Its a good thing that this winter has been dissappointing to the snowmobilers around me, because it was hard to sell mine this fall. Now I am not neccessarily regretting it so much.

I dont have any pictures from this session, but hopefully next time I will be able to snap some!​
 
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